Vault handle



March 15, 192?" 1,620,770

- c. J. LEDWIDGE VAULT HANDLE Filed March 27. 192s F/[Z J. X75, 5.

Patented Mar. 15, 1 927.

ir s" STAT-ES,

CHRISTOPHER J. LEnwInGE, or now SPRINGS narronatrnax, 'ARKAnsAs.

ATE, I

vAtrL'r HANDLE.

Application filed March 2?, 192a Serial No. 97,969;

'The present invention relates to grave vault or casket handles, andaims to provide novelmeans for connecting a handle to the" the grave sothat the handle is left-free'to hang down in pendent position withoutcatching against the wall of the grave.

Another object of the invention is the pro- I vision of novel means forcoupling the hood and-bottom of the vault together in combination withthe handles of the bottom ant hood, with the hoodhandle free andunencumbered. According to the prevailing practice the handles of thebottom and hood are connected directly by coupling members or devicesduring shipment of the vault, to

hold thehood and bottom assembled,'but this is objectionable in view ofthe fact that the handles of the hood are held down by the couplingmeans and are encumbered so that they may not be conveniently used forlift arrangement the handles ofthe hood are left free and unencumberedwhen the coupling.

means or devices. are used, so that the hood handles may be usedconveniently for lifting or carryingthe vault.

Another object is to provide in combination with the handle of the vaultbottom, a caster, in order that the vault may be conveniently movedabout on the floor or other surface such as during transportation.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent asthe 'description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed,without-departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure1 is aside elevation of the improved handles with the coupling memberapplied.

ing or carrying the vault. With the present Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionon-the line 2-2 ofFigl.

Fig.3 is arear or inside view of the hood handle and its attaching meanswhen removed from the hood.

The handles are used on an air seal grave vault or casket comprising abottom 7 and a hood 8-, said hood using the diving bell prin-' ciple toexclude water from the vault,as Well known.

The handles are provided at, suit able points at the sides and ends ofthe vault as usual, and only a single pair of handles is shown anddescribed herein.

, A plate 9 is welded, bolted or otherwise,

secured to the lower surface of'the vault bottom 7 at one edge thereofand has upwardly extending arms 10 projecting acrossv said edge of thebottom, and a horizontal handle or handle bar 11 is united with theupperends of the arms 10 for conveniencein lifting or carrying the bottom ofthe vault'when the hood 8 is removed therefrom.

A companion handle or 'vhan'dle-bar12 is disposed above the handle 11,andfis united with the arms 13'tl1at are fastened ,to' a horizontalhinge rod 14. The rod 14 is seated in the notches or seats 15 ofattaching plates 16 that are secured to the wall of the hood 8 above thehandle 11, and said plates 16 have slots 17 receiving the arms 13 topermit the handle 12 to be swung down to'penden't posi; tion or to beswung outwardly and upwardly to liftingor carrying position with thearms 13 projecting outwardly from the hood. The

plates 16 have. apertures '18 to receive studs surface of thewall of thehood 8, and cap nuts 20 are 'screw th'readed on the protruding- 19welded or otherwisesecuredto the outer ll iththe exception that thehinge rod 14 projects across the space between the plates 16, thestructure described up to this point is substantially the same asthat inprevailing use onvaults or caskets of the kind debe used for theengagement of a strap or equivalentelement of the equipment usd forlowering the vault into the grave. This will" "scribed. By having therod 14 extend across the space'between the plates 16 said rod may leavethe handle '12 free'so that it may hang to prevent the hallfromdropping'outoij the;

catching against the Wall of the grave when the vault is being lowered.The rod is also afiords means for the engagement of the coupling memberor device 21 that will be described presently.

In order to couple the bottom and hood of the vault together duringshipment, the coupling member or device 21 is provided, same consistingin a bar or strip of. metal having its lower terminal formed into a stem22 to be inserted downwardly through an aperture 23 in the handle 11,and the stem is screw-threaded to receive a nut 24- thereon. The upperend of the coupling member 21 is formed with a book 25 to engage overthe rod 14: behind the handle 12. Thus, by insorting the stem 22 downthrough theaperture 23 and engaging the hook 25 over the rod 14 thenut24 being screwathreaded on the stem 22. will draw the member 21downwardly, thereby clamping the hood 8 on the bottom 7. This will holdthe hood and bottom of the vault assembled during transportation, andthe handle 12 is free and unen cumbered in order that it may be swungoutwardly for carrying or lifting the vault. Thecoupling member ordevice 21 is only ed fer hel ng t e bo tom a he d a s bled duringtransportation of the vault prior to the final sealing of. the vault andthe coupling member 21 is removed when the vault is opened. The bottom 7of the vault is loweredinto the grave, and the coiiin is placed thereon,after which the hood 8 is lowered over the cofiin. As hereinbeforeindicated the rod 14 is used for the engagement of the strap or memberused for lowering the hood, so that the, handle 12 will be free to a glew W en he d is p a ed e he lefiil en he eet m 7 h hoo d tom are lockedtogether by automatic locks (net heW se s e tes es, h h o a d bot?tegethe permanen y s lse possible to secure the hood and bottom togetheretere. lo ering th au in h gr v A ster i eemhine w th he han le p ate""Thus, an pla e an ensuin 26 in hie e ste ball 2 is disp s d, wit the lwer Per ie f he el proj t gut o id se ame below he plat Th ower pe ieeetth p ing 2. is cont ac ed so s p n a 2. e r r ctibns b lls. 8e sisposed etween the ball 27 and bottom 7 of arena and k ea ie t h We l fthe.

n mi .2 at h upp r d o aid Opening. aid balls 28 enable the C lStQTball27 to rotate freely. The caster ball 27 will enable the vault or casketto be readily moved about on the floor or other surface during.

nspertetie When th lt s use a a shipping case, During shipment, whenusinga coupling member or device 21 for each of handles, the handles 12will be free for conveniently carrying or lifting the vault or case, andthe casters will also facilitate handling by railroad employees andothers. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of spaced'plates adapted to be secured to the hood of a vault and having. slots,a hinge rod engaging and held by said plates and extending across thespace between said plates, an upper handle connected to said rod forswinging movement I and engaging in said slots, a lower handle for thebottom of the vault, and means to connect the lower handle and said rodbetween said plates for holding said rod and lower handle againstseperation with the upper handle free for swinging movement.

2. A device of the character described comprising a pair of spacedplates adapted to be Secured to the hood of a vault and hav-- ing slots,a hinge rod engaging and held by said plates and extending across thespace between said plates, an upper handle connected to said rod forswinging movement and engaging in said slots, a lower handle for thebottom of the vault, and means adjustably connected with" the lowerhandle and having a portion to engage over said rod between said platesfor, holding said rod and lower handle against separation with the upperhandle free for swinging movement, 3. A device of the characterdescribed comprising an upper handle, a hinge mounting f rh pperhandl inl ding hinge. rod, a lower handle, and means for connecting said rod andlower handle and leaving the upper handle free for swinging moveen 4, Adevice of the character described mpr si g an upp a d e, a hing m a -ting for aid. ndl ncl d ng a h n e rod, a le and e, a a oup ing aving, aeels e gag e e s id. ed nd h ving justab e mea s t se eth le andle formoving said rod and lower handle toward one another, the upper handlebeing free to w ng r l i ly t sa d mem er- I s 5. A device of thecharacter described comprisinga pair of spaced plates adapted. 115 to besecured to the hood of a vault, a hinge rod engaging and held by saidplates and extending across the space between them, an upper handleconnected to said rod for swingingmovement, a lower handle, upling m ant ne t said red and. lower andl for moving m t d ne n her and leavingthe upper handle free for swing ing em nt t t mo y Whe eef. I hereunto.signature.

eHRIsroP- asJLEDWIDGEJ

